Valentine’s Day Date Series Part 2: Southside and the Town Center

Looking for a weeknight date idea with Valentine’s day just around the corner? Read on for the scoop on some great date ideas in the Southside area.

Up next in our date series we’re featuring another local neighborhood in Jacksonville, the Southside area. Southside is somewhat centrally located in Jacksonville. It’s very close to the St. John’s Town Center and the highway, so it’s just a short drive away from downtown.

This week we headed to a local brewery, Bottlenose Brewing, for dinner and a trivia night. Bottlenose Brewing is in the Tinseltown plaza. Formerly World of Beer, this brewery is located near Moe’s Southwestern Grill and Mellow Mushroom. Bottlenose holds their 80’s, 90’s, and 2000’s trivia night every Tuesday night at 7:30pm. They also have other events and specials happening every week including Happy Hour, $1 off drafts and wine, Monday through Friday from 3pm to 7pm and Ladies Night – $1 Wine, Wednesdays from 6pm to 9pm.

Since this date was on a Tuesday night we decided to double date with a great couple that we’re close friends with. It was fun to team up together and pull our collective knowledge of pop culture going back a few decades.

We loved the atmosphere at Bootlenose. They’ve got a great menu that features traditional pub fare and an extensive beer menu. I highly recommend the pretzel sticks with beer cheese sauce- delicious!

Bottlenose Brewing features local beers brewed in the city and beers from other breweries in the state. Service is at the bar only, so when you’re ready to order make sure you go to the bar, a waiter or waitress will not take your order. Bottlenose also has a variety of board games you can play while you wait for trivia to start and your food to arrive. We loved playing games like Jenga, Sorry!, and Trouble.

The Tinseltown movie theater is within walking distance from Bottlenose, so if you’re looking to end your night with a romantic trip to the movies, it’s only a short walk away. The Tinseltown movie theater has some of the most comfortable movie theater seats I have ever encountered. It truly makes for a relaxing experience with your very own recliner and footrest.

If you’re looking for some other date ideas in the Southside area head to the St. Johns Town Center. The Town Center area has grown like wildfire in recent years and features a wide variety of shops and restaurants all showcased in an outdoor setting, which is perfect for a stroll with your date on a moonlit night.

This restaurant is located inside the Markets at the Town Center and serves contemporary cuisine and craft cocktails in a modern, romantic atmosphere. Moxie has two stories and each one is equipped with a full bar and outdoor patio seating. The decor and mood lighting will add to the ambiance of your date.

Their menu is eclectic with dinner entrees that include items like gourmet burgers, filet mignon and chicken and waffles. The creative decor and menu is sure to satisfy any couple looking for a unique date.

The restaurant is also located inside the Markets at the Town Center and features a diverse menu of classic American pub fare like fish tacos, fried chicken and burgers. They serve craft beer and cocktails in a lively atmosphere.

The elegant and upscale restaurant serves up authentic Brazilian cuisine with menu items that include a variety of meats served in the traditional Southern Brazilian style and a variety of seafood, sauces and sides. They also have Brazilian style cocktails like the caipirinha, which is the national cocktail of Brazil.

These are just a few places but the St. John’s Town center area has countless restaurants in all prices ranges and genres, so every couple is sure to find something! See their site here for a full list of stores and businesses.